Dr. Moudhy Al-Rashid on Understanding Ancient Mesopotamia

Join Principal Architect, Mitchell Rocheleau in this interview with Dr. Moudhy Al-Rashid, author of "Between Two Rivers: Ancient Mesopotamia and The Birth of History", Historian and honorary fellow at Wolfson College, University of Oxford. We discuss the importance of the creation of cities, early beginnings of Mesopotamia as a place and the incredible technologies from irrigation and writing systems that were essential to the environment. Watch to understand why studying ancient Mesopotamia is vital for our understanding of our present societies and how evolution of these creations has affected our current life and the ways in which we access basic needs.

Ancient Architecture, History, InterviewMitchell RocheleauJuly 25, 2025Ancient Architecture, Ancient Mesopotamian Architecture, Ancient Architecture History

A Brief Architectural History of Uruk and the Emergence of the First Cities

Investigating why our ancestors began building architecture and congregating in cities can reveal fundamental insights about human nature. There is no better place to start than with the development of the first cities in ancient Mesopotamia. The city has always been where people congregate, and ideas, innovation, and progress flourish. People come to the city to reinvent and express themselves and test and share their ideas, wherein, simultaneously, culture evolves and civilization progresses. Since their conception, cities have always been nuclei of human advancement.